A small plane has crashed 50km north-west of Melbourne, with grave fears for those onboard.
The Cessna 150 light aircraft crashed at around 11.20am in an airfield on Aerodrome Road, Parwan, near Bacchus Marsh.
Police, firefighters, ambulance and SES teams are all on-scene. It is unclear whether anyone has been injured.
‘The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined,’ the police said.
Moorabool Shire Council owns and operates the Bacchus Marsh Aerodrome, which is known for its flying school and gliding clubs.
CEO Derek Madden told Daily Mail that council was ‘aware of the awful situation at the aerodrome’.
‘While investigations are continuing we can’t make any further comment, but our thoughts are with all involved,’ he said.
Access to the aerodrome has been closed, with police closing both Aerodrome Road and Skylark Way.
The crash is the second in Victoria in just six weeks, after a man died when his aircraft crashed on Coliban Park Road in Redesdale on September 13.
The n Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has begun a transport investigation into the incident.
‘As reported to the ATSB, shortly after take-off from Bacchus Marsh, the aircraft descended and collided with terrain in a paddock adjacent to the airport,’ it said in a statement.
‘Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities on site, including wreckage examination, site mapping with a drone and recovery of any relevant aircraft components for further examination.’